Old timer told me I was using too much filler on a rear quarter panel

Guy who's been doing this since the 70s watched me lay down mud on a 2017 Civic and just shook his head. Said I was building it up way too thick and wasting material. He showed me how to do multiple thin passes instead of one big glob. Cut my sanding time in half on the next job. Anyone else get taught a basic trick way later than they should have?

2 comments

2 Comments

mitchell.shane1d ago

Damn, that's a solid lesson right there. But here's what I'm wondering - did the old timer also tell you how to tell when you've got it right on the first pass? Like, is there a specific thickness or feel you're going for that tells you "okay, that's enough for this layer"? Because I've heard guys say "just a credit card's width" but that seems vague unless you've seen it done right.

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the_viola1d ago

Credit card thickness is actually pretty dead on once you've done it a few times... the trick is to feel the trowel resistance more than measure it. When the mud is starting to grab and drag instead of just sliding off, that's your sweet spot. Too thin and it'll flake off in sheets... too thick and you're fighting bubbles and ridges. Coffee stirrer width is another good benchmark, actual credit cards got too thin over the years.